Sources can, at best, report what the situation appears to be at the time, they can't be expected to be clairvoyant.

This is true, but this is why these "sources" should probably avoid making guarantee's. Words mean things, when they put themselves in a position of saying they have the inside scoop and know what's going to happen in the future, then they have to be held to the standard they're holding forth for themselves.

Otherwise, they can just continue to say stuff and we just have to keep taking them seriously - because we never hold them accountable.

If I were a source and had the inside track, I would couch my proclamations of future events in probabilities, if I dared to speak at all.